Israel Adesanya knows he lost against Jan Blachowicz, but says he never was threatened in the fight.
Middleweight champion Adesanya failed in his bid to become a dual champion when he lost a unanimous decision to then-light heavyweight titleholder Blachowicz at UFC 259. It was his first-career loss.
But despite agreeing with the judges’ decision, Adesanya (21-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) thinks he had the more impactful moments.
“Where in that fight did I actually get hurt?” Adesanya said in an interview with ESPN. “I mean, he beat me, you know – guaranteed. I know some people don’t agree, but I think he beat me just. But where in that fight did I actually get hurt? I never felt in danger once in that fight. He was in danger because I rocked him. He even admitted it and he felt my power. But where in that fight was that actually hurt? I never felt in danger once.”
Adesanya’s comments stemmed from Robert Whittaker’s claim that Blachowicz set the blueprint to beat him. But “The Last Stylebender” doesn’t think Whittaker (23-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) will be able to implement a similar game plan when the pair rematches in Saturday’s UFC 271 main event.
“If that’s what he (Whittaker) wants to do to try and win the fight, try,” Adesanya said. “If he’s 225 pounds, but try – and he’s never felt me grapple. Everyone that’s felt me grapple, they know I’ve got that strength. But once they feel it, it’s different because of the frame. They look at me and think, ‘Oh, skinny boy, no power.’ But they find out.”
UFC 271 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
